The Heart of the Sword
by Reese Craven
Summary: Kenshin's dying...and the how the end comes.


The Heart of the Sword  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kenshin. I wish I Did or else I would be very rich living in Tokyo with nothing else better to do than write stories. SO please don't sue me. I don't have any money  
  
Author's note: I am really sorry if this sucks. This is my first attempt at a Kenshin fan fic. So if all else fails I can go back to writing Harry Potter Fan fic.  
  
Kenshin Himura couldn't sleep. The screams of his victims still haunted him. It had been a long time since he was Battousai the Manslayer. 23 years to be exact. But now for some reason the dreams were haunting him again. It was probably because he was dying. It was his conscience and he knew it. He tried many years ago to leave it behind, but Battousai would always be a part of him.  
  
His wife Karol lay asleep next to him. Ever since he had gotten sick, she did not leave his side. He didn't mind being in company of his Karou but it just hurt him even more to look at her and wonder who would take care of her when he died. Her and Kenji. His pride Kenji Himura. The only child he ever had. He knew Kenji would miss him when he was gone. But Kenji would survive and he knew it. Kenji would want to prove to his mother that he was strong. That he would now be man of the house and be ready to start training.  
  
Kenshin turned toward the door and opened his eyes. Moonlight shone through. It was only early morning. He sighed and sat up. "Kenshin? Are you having trouble sleeping?" Karou asked. "You felt me sit up?" "I've been awake for a few minutes now. I heard you move." "It's only the dreams Karou. Now go back to sleep." "But why would the dreams irk you now Kenshin?" He didn't answer the question. Karou still had hope that he would get better. Karou said only yesterday he looked much better. That had been a lie. While she had gone to get Kenji from his lessons, he had had a coughing fit and spotted blood. The coughing fits had started out once every few days. Now for almost a month, he had coughing fits everyday. Kenshin stood up and grabbed his cane from next to the door. "Kenshin? Where are you going?" "For a walk. Go back to sleep. I shall be back before you awake." Kenshin gave her a small smile and walked and closed the door of the dojo.  
  
Ken shin walked down the path he cam down 13 years ago. Karou had led him here after she had caught him in the street in the village. She was 19 then. She had changed. Once a loud mouthed, headstrong, stubborn girl, Karou had become a loving caring respectable woman. Kenshin had fallen in love with her early on and still loved her. No matter how much she had changed.  
  
His body ached from all the fighting he had endured. This made his body weaker than most 41-year-old men's bodies. But this sickness made his aging worse. He remembered only a year ago, he set out to see his master. His master was well into his 50's but he wanted to know if he would train Kenji. With much persuasion, his master said he would once Kenji turned 12. Kenshin was so happy. Kenji was so excited to know. Karou had her doubts about it. That was when the coughing had begun. At first he thought it was because of his journey. But then the blood came. That was when Megumi was called in and her diagnosis wasn't good. She told them he probably wouldn't live another 2 years. A dark cloud came over the dojo. No one talked about Kenji's training; no one said much of anything.  
Karou tried to be strong. She refused to cry in front of him but there were times he would walk in and find her face tearstained and her eyes red. Always then would she turn around to him and give him a fake smile. He wanted to tell her it was all right to cry. But even he gave her permission to cry, she wouldn't.  
Kenshin looked back towards the road. 'I shouldn't be here' Kenshin thought. Then Kenshin felt a fit coming on. Pain welled in his chest and his body lurched forward. It started off as a dry cough. Soon the taste of blood filled his mouth. After the coughs had subsided, he spat the blood onto the ground. The blood reminded him of his victims. One of them being Tomoe, his "first wife". Kenshin fingered the cross shaped scar. He despised the side of him he called Battousai. Kenshin knew he had Battousai to blame for this. This sickness was much worse than the various deaths and victims he had claimed with his own sword. Kenshin picked up the cane and hobbled over to the river. He took some of the cool water and washed the blood from his face. He looked at his reflection in the water. Kenshin couldn't believe what he saw in the water. His face was not Kenshin Himura's. This man's face was sickly. His violet eyes were sad and tired looking. But the unmistakable red hair remained. Kenshin broke the reflection of the water. He hated what he had become.  
It was still dark when he reached the Dojo. He put his cane back not wanting to wake Karou up. His effort came in vain. "Kenshin. Is that you?" "Yes. Karou it's me." "I was so worried Kenshin." "Don't be Karou dear." Kenshin painfully kissed Karou on the cheek and told her to sleep again. Kenshin slept peacefully for the next few hours. Kenshin woke up to the sound of Kenji playing with a neighborhood child. It was close to high sun when he got up. Kenshin still feeling tired got up and looked out the dojo door. Karou saw him struggle to stand and walked to him. She helped him sit down against the wall.  
  
"How do you do this Kenshin?" Karou asked her with her eyes filled with tears. "What." "Live. You're dying and you know it. But each and every day you pretend you are well. How can you do it and I can't?" Kenshin thought for a moment. "I have come to terms with this Karou. I don't expect you to. I know from the moment I became Battousai the Manslayer someday I would pay for all those I killed. I know this suffering you and I have will end soon Karou." "Mother! Come on. If we don't leave soon we'll be late and I will be in trouble again." Kenji interrupted.  
  
"Right. Well. Kenshin we'll be back before dinner. Meanwhile you get some rest." Karou said. "Help me up. I wish to see you off." Kenshin said pushing himself off the ground.  
Karou helped him over to one of the railings of the dojo. Karou hesitated to let go. Kenshin was able to hold himself up. Karou and Kenji set off for town waving until they could no longer see the Dojo.  
  
For some reason Kenshin felt weaker than he normally did. Maybe all the movements he did that day were catching up with him. With much effort, he reentered the Dojo and lay down on his bed. He soon fell asleep. He was having another dream.  
Another one of his victims was in it. Tomoe. She was smiling. She stood up to greet him. "Hello Kenshin." She said embracing him. "Tomoe" He whispered. "Yes. Kenshin. Do you not notice that you are no longer in pain?"  
Kenshin stood up straight without hesitating or a mild sense of pain. He looked back to Tomoe. She held a mirror. "Look at yourself Kenshin." She said. Kenshin shook his head no. He didn't want to be reminded of the reflection he saw the night previous. Tomoe held the mirror to him. He finally took it and looked in it. It was Kenshin. But not the same reflection he had had the night before. His face was full his eyes were bright and healthy looking. He fingered the cross-shaped scar and then looked at Tomoe.  
'I am sorry Tomoe.' He thought. As if reading his mind, Tomoe answered.  
  
"I forgave you a long time ago Kenshin. I understood you situation. And you kept your promise to me. You never killed again. You won't have to pay anymore for a single sin." Kenshin handed back the mirror to Tomoe. He realized he and Tomoe were under his tree. This was the tree Karou and he married under. The same tree Kenji took his first steps under. The same one he told Karou to have him buried under.  
"Where are we?" Kenshin asked. "You conscience." Tomoe answered, "This is your happy place. Come on now lay down Kenshin. Under your tree." He did what Tomoe told him to do. He was peaceful and happy. He never wanted this moment to end. "Now close your eyes and think of things that make you happy."  
  
The first things that came to his mind were Karou and Kenji. He felt tired and let the sound of crickets put him to sleep. The sound of the crickets was the last thing Kenshin heard before his spirit crossed over. * * *  
Karou walked up towards the dojo with Kenji close to her side. Something didn't seem right with the dojo. It was peaceful. Too peaceful. Kenji was first to reach the yard of the Dojo. "Kenji! Stop! Stay there." Karou yelled. Kenji did what he was told and Karou walked into the dojo and found Kenshin lying there.  
  
"Ken shin" Karol said softly. She repeated his name again and no reply. Karou held her breath. She got to where Kenshin lay and kneeled beside him. His chest did not rise or fall. It remained still. He looked peaceful and happy. Then Karou wept. For the loss of the Kenshin Himura but also happiness for finally Kenshin, the heart of the sword, would never suffer or feel the damage of Battousai again.  
  
The End  
  
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